WB offers funding for scientific research in Vietnam

FIRST Project Management Unit Director Luong Van Thang said the project aims to support science, technology and innovation in Vietnam by designing and piloting science, technology and innovation policies, enhancing the effectiveness of project-aided research and development institutions, and encouraging the development of innovative technology businesses. The project will run until 2019 with total costs of US$110 million, including US$100 million in commitment from the World Bank.

Following the first two registration stages, the FIRST Project Management Unit signed and financed 47 projects. Of which, 17 were sponsored to invite foreign experts, while 10 institutes and universities nationwide received investment capital of US$3.2 million.

The National Institute of Medicinal Materials received more than US$141,000 from the FIRST project to implement screening research on prevention and treatment of memory loss. The Vietnam National Space Center received funding of about VND2 billion to carry out the CFRTP/PEEK research project on manufacturing small satellites.

The FIRST Project Management Unit granted more than US$186,000 for the National Institute for Science and Technology Policy and Strategy Studies to implement a project on strengthening capacity for developing science, technology and innovation strategies in Vietnam through knowledge transfer from foreign experts. Over US$178,000 was allocated for the Vietnam National University of Agriculture to conduct research on breeding Landrace and Yorkshire sows against diarrhea bacteria; and more than US$195,000 for the Hanoi National University of Education to develop a synthetic technology process and produce some organic photovoltaic materials based on silicon derivatives.

Thang said that the FIRST Project Management Unit is providing funding for the third stage, including US$200,000 for encouraging foreign talented scientists including overseas Vietnamese to visit Vietnam and collaborate with Vietnamese scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs on research and development projects. US$4 million will be provided to government research institutes for activities conducive to the adoption of market-driven operations, financial autonomy and sustainability, and up to US$3 million each to sub-projects to be executed by cooperation consortia among research institutes, universities and enterprises with counterpart funding.